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WELCOME TO THE ELEVENTH EDITION OF THE “WORLD WIDE W*GG*”

Editor - Vivian Egan

Well, here it is mid February already and I know a few of you have already been looking for the next issue of the newsletter. I hope 2002 is treating you all well.

WEBPAGE     -     http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~vivianegan/worldwidewgg.htm

I have been renovating the webpages and you should find that they will now load a lot quicker. I have added several new pages – including “What’s New” with all the recent additions.

Also a Guestbook for visitors which I hope you will visit and sign, including a place to leave details of your elusive W*GG* ancestors or the brickwalls they have put in your path.

I have also linked some of the vital records entries to a transcription of the relevant certificate. Thank you to those who have contributed here. If anyone else can help, just let me know.

W*GG* FAMILY TREES

After consultation with some of you, I have decided NOT to include any details of LIVING descendants on the W*GG* Family Trees on my website, for privacy reasons. I am waiting for the release of the 1901 UK Census details before I upload anymore trees.

RESEARCHERS’ LISTS

I have also updated the Researchers Lists on the webpages. If your details are incorrect, please let me know. For a copy of the complete list including postal addresses, please contact me.

SPOTLIGHT PROFILE            -           Janet BYE

I was born “GRAVELING” in Northampton to parents who were, as far as I can see true Norfolk stock back to the early 1700s.  I was educated in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and after College in Ormskirk, Lancashire, I taught in schools in Yorkshire.  Ron, also a teacher, and I married after I had given in to my wanderlust and been an Exchange teacher for the English Speaking Union in Newburgh, New York, U.S.A. for one year!  We have 2 sons, neither of whom shows any interest in my research, but I have hopes of a niece!

My mother was Elsie Margaret WEGG, born in Cawston, Norfolk in 1904.  She was the eldest daughter of Robert John WEGG and Ruth Anna nee PECK.  Robert John died suddenly in 1929 and the family moved to join her in Norwich where she was working for the Chittock firm of solicitors.  She was supposedly the first legal secretary in the country to take shorthand in court!

Robert John follows his line of descent through his father Robert Butler Wegg, son of James Wagg, son of William and Violet, son of Thomas, son of John.  This is the family who moved through Gresham, Briningham, Hunworth and Stody, Norfolk.  It also links me definitely with Allan McGillivray - and makes me wish that in 1966, when I was in New York I had known all these things!

With names like WEGG and GRAVELING, who could doubt I would eventually try to find out about my family history!

FEATURE FAMILY           –           Robert WIGG & Mary SAGON of Toft Monks, Norfolk

Our WIGG family lived in the Toft Monks and Raveningham area of Norfolk from 1780 to 1947. The inevitable occupation was shown as Ag. Lab. I was therefore delighted to find Freeman Wigg, born 1832, who served in the Royal Navy and was on board the Cyclops during the Crimean War. We have his continuous service certificate giving his physical description and stating that his conduct had been good. The top right hand corner of this certificate is marked in red and I understand that in the event of poor conduct this corner would be cut off, which would indicate the situation to any future employer who may not of course be able to read. My grandson, Freeman's ggg grandson, is now the custodian of the parchment certificate and service medal, kept in the original metal tube.

Freeman's descendants had a variety of occupations including coach driver, cordwainer and rate and income tax collector.

I have been searching for years for the birth of Freeman's grandfather, Robert Wigg who died at Toft Monks in 1808 aged 52. He was married to Mary Sagon on the 24th November 1781 and there the trail ends.

Contributed by Margaret WIGG

THE TRAGEDY OF THE "EMPRESS OF IRELAND"

On Thursday May 28, 1914 the "R.M.S. Empress of Ireland" sailed from Quebec, Canada up the St. Lawrence River to begin the first leg of the trans-Atlantic crossing to Liverpool, England. Her 96^th voyage, it was to be her last.

She was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company in Glasgow, Scotland for her owners, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, and was launched on the Clyde River on 27 January 1906. Her overall length was just under 550 feet.

Around 2 a.m. on Friday May 29, in a bank of dense fog, the ship was broadsided by the Norwegian collier the S.S. STORSTAD, which penetrated the Empress' steel decks some 15 to 20 feet. Some 14 minutes later, the Empress had sank in the Gulf of St Lawrence, near Pointe au Pere, at a depth of 150 feet, with the loss of 1012 passengers and crew.

It was Canada’s worst marine disaster.

Amongst those lost souls, were Annie JUNIPER nee WIGG and her little son, Arthur.

Annie Elizabeth WIGG was born in Faversham, Kent, England  in 1891 to Edward WIGG and Ann Phipps Feve WIGG. In 1910 she was married in Faversham to Arthur JUNIPER, and a year later her son Arthur was born.

In 1911 she emigrated to Canada with her young son and lived in Toronto, Ontario. It seems she did not like Canada and had decided to return home to England on the Empress. Nothing is known of the whereabouts of her husband at the time. He was not listed as a survivor, nor among the dead; so presumably did not board the "Empress" on her final voyage.

Annie was the sister of Abraham WIGG, grandfather of June HAYES

NOTE: for further information on the "Empress of Ireland"   www.rmsempressofireland.com

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